Book excerpt: It's supposed to look like a hockey stick: up and to the right. Growth curves of runaway hits are even more dramatic-akin to field hockey sticks-quick start, short dip, followed by an immediate near-vertical climb in a northeasterly direction. It's a beautiful thing. The problem with growth curves is that they're like footprints in the sand. You can only see them in hindsight. To make matters more difficult, innovation is a non-linear business. Success does not come in the form of a straight line. As Woody Allen suggests, "If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans." In the world of innovation, there is no single path forward. The only road that all entrepreneurs share is the road less travelled by. But you can still learn from those who went before you-what to do and what not to do-in order to increase your odds of success. Bend the Curve is a book about how to get more out of your big idea from people who know-successful entrepreneurs, the venture capitalists who've funded them, and the experienced mentors of the world's leading new venture accelerator, Techstars.